Madam Speaker, the universal child care benefit was so popular and so successful that the Liberals renamed it, claimed it was their idea and ran on it in every election that they have been remotely successful in.
Karina Gould Liberal
This bill has received Royal Assent and is, or will soon become, law.
This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.
This enactment sets out the Government of Canada’s vision for a Canada-wide early learning and child care system. It also sets out the Government of Canada’s commitment to maintaining long-term funding relating to early learning and child care to be provided to the provinces and Indigenous peoples. Finally, it creates the National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care.
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.
Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-35s:
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Speaker, the universal child care benefit was so popular and so successful that the Liberals renamed it, claimed it was their idea and ran on it in every election that they have been remotely successful in.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Kingston and the Islands Ontario
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate)
Madam Speaker, that could not be further from the truth, because the reality is that the universal child care benefit that the Conservatives brought in gave cheques to millionaires. He talks about a one-size-fits-all approach. Nothing more clearly defines that than the universal child care benefit that literally gave the exact same amount of money to absolutely everybody, even those making half a million dollars a year. Of course, a Conservative would think that is a great program, because they are giving—
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
The ones who talked about the heckling are doing the heckling on this side now. I would ask members to please hold off. I know the hon. member is able to answer that question.
The hon. parliamentary secretary.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Madam Speaker, of course a Conservative would get up and say that Stephen Harper's plan was by far the best, because it was, as they clap right now, the plan that literally sent cheques to millionaires.
Congratulations to the member opposite. He is absolutely right. That is a program that Stephen Harper would love, and I can definitely understand why the Conservative Party of Canada would get behind that program.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Speaker, this member is from the party that gave millions to Loblaws to buy new refrigerators; the government loves sending money to the rich and famous.
The Conservative government introduced a universal child care benefit that was taxable, which meant that those who had higher incomes had to pay higher levels of tax on the money they got. We can quibble about the amounts or the proportions—
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
Order. We still have debate going back and forth, and it is not the time for that. I only recognized one individual, not two or three.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Liberal
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
The hon. parliamentary secretary knows better. He should be setting an example in the House.
The hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Speaker, I must say that I am immensely enjoying this. I wonder if there is unanimous consent to extend my questions and comments for another five minutes.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
Does the hon. member have unanimous consent?
The hon. parliamentary secretary has a point of order.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Liberal
Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON
Madam Speaker, the rules of the House do not allow, after six o'clock, I believe, for you to accept unanimous consent motions.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes
That is right, so the hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan has 12 seconds.
Motion in AmendmentCanada Early Learning and Child Care ActGovernment Orders
Conservative
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Madam Speaker, the members opposite may want to quibble about the proportions, but the point is that in 2015, when the Liberals formed government, their policy was to rename and adjust the proportions on a universal direct-to-parents subsidy. They took our policy because it was so popular.